The present invention relates to a running board and, more particularly, to an auxiliary running board adapted to be installed on a vehicle's lateral side.
In general, a vehicle having a door opening high above the ground (e.g., sports utility vehicle, van, etc.) is laterally provided with running boards on which passengers tread to get on or off the vehicle. A conventional running board usually includes a base (running board body) and a cover sheet over the base, both of which are made of aluminum alloy. The cover sheet has an upper surface which is decorated with non-slip patterns for slip resistance and electroplated for aesthetic appearance.
A conventional automotive running board, however, features many low-strength components which take more time for assembling. Moreover, an aluminum-alloy base is manufactured with a costly mold and has an extended length which causes the molded base to be shrunk or deformed easily. In addition, the yield loss rate of elongated aluminum-alloy cover sheets in an electroplating process is high.